It seems we can’t go anywhere without a bottle of water these days. Whether it’s the ball field, the grocery store, or our own back yards, we take our H2O to go.

But is it a reusable bottle filled with clean, safe water from the faucet? It should be. Because when it comes to health, value and the environment, tap water can’t be beat.

Indio Water Authority performs frequent and rigorous testing to make sure that supplies meet health and safety standards set by the State Water Resources Control Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

We meticulously analyze hundreds of samples each year from the Coachella Valley Groundwater Basin before the water is delivered to homes and businesses throughout our service area. We also use strong base anion exchange technology to remove any contaminants and add chlorine for disinfection, making it some of the cleanest water in the world.

Some people might be surprised to learn that one-fourth of bottled water is nothing more than re-packaged tap water. Taste differences depend on the source and minerals that are already present or added to the water. That’s because manufacturers are not required to list the water source on labels. Many of them get their water from a municipal supply just like ours.

Tap water is also a bargain. It works out to less than a penny per gallon, which includes pumping, treatment, delivery and the guarantee that when you turn on the tap, the water will be there. Compare that to the price of bottled water, which can cost as much as several dollars per gallon, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation.

Drinking tap water is also more environmentally friendly than the alternative. Single-serve plastic bottles require crude oil for production and transport, and the manufacturing process emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the accumulation of greenhouse gases. Even the notion that plastic bottles are recycled is misleading. In truth, less than one-fourth of single-use bottles are recycled in the United States, contributing to the waste stream. With total bottled water volume at nearly 13 billion gallons in 2016, that’s a lot of unnecessary discarded plastic and even more wasted water.

With everything we know, perhaps it’s time to wean ourselves off of bottled water and get your water straight from the tap. Let’s make that bottle we carry a reusable one that can be refilled at hydration stations — the modern version of drinking fountains — which are increasingly appearing on college campuses and in hotels and businesses.